Flexible protective guide internally holding long members

ABSTRACT

A protective guide has a long shape and internally holds long members including at least one of flexible cables and ducts. The protective guide includes a flexible curved strip-shaped base and a plurality of flexible sectioning members. The base is made of a synthetic resin, formed into a long plate and has a longitudinal direction. The sectioning members are also made of a synthetic resin, permitted to uprise from both ends of the base and spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, the both ends being opposed to each other in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The sectioning members cooperatively define a space for accommodating the long members along the base. The base has a cross section inwardly curved toward the space, as viewed in the longitudinal direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority fromearlier Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-208573 filed Sep. 26, 2011,the description of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a flexible protective guide forinternally holding long flexible cables and/or ducts and guiding theirbehaviors to a given path, while protecting the cables and/or ducts, thecables and/or ducts connecting a fixed side of a machine in which thecable protective guide is installed to a movable side of the machine totransmit electrical signals therebetween or transfer a physical mediumtherebetween. In particular, the present invention relates to a longflexible protective guide preferable for an application in which cablesand/or ducts are bent for connection between a fixed side of a machinein which the cable protective guide is installed and a movable side ofthe machine.

2. Related Art

It is well known that various machines available today are provided witha movable member, such as a linear actuator or a robot, which isconnected, for actuation, to a member on a fixed side (hereinafterreferred to as a fixed member) of the machine. In most of such machines,energy, such as electrical power, control signals and/or air, arerequired to be transferred to the movable member from the fixed membervia cables and/or ducts (hereinafter just referred to as cables). Sincethe cables are connected between the fixed member and the movablemember, it is important to guide the movement of the cables to a desiredpath, with the protection of the cables.

As a means for protecting and guiding such cables, a cable protectiveguide chain as disclosed in JP-A-H10-047441 is well known. The cableprotective guide chain includes a number of link members connected inthe longitudinal direction of cables. Each link member is composed of apair of left and right link plates which are spaced apart from eachother, a flap and a bottom plate. The flap is used for connectingbetween the upper edges of the ling plates. The bottom plate is used forconnecting between the lower edges of the link plates. The movementstroke for which the chain is used is different between the users, andthus ranges from a short movement stroke to a long movement stroke.Sometimes, a long chain is required to be used for a movement stroke of10 meters or more. Taking this into account, the cable protective guidechain disclosed in JP-A-H10-047441 achieves a required movement strokeby assembling the required number of link members and elongating thechain to the required length.

However, in exchange of the possible elongation by assembling the linkplates, such an assembled cable protective guide chain involves lots ofwork in assembling the link plates, the flaps and the bottom plates.Further, when such an assembled cable protective guide chain is used,dust may be produced due to the friction between the link plates. Inaddition, when such an assembled cable protective guide chain is bent,noise may be mutually caused by the link plates. Also, such an assembledcable protective guide chain may cause vibration due to the mutualpolygonal action of the link plates.

In order to take measures against these problems, JP-A-2001-514725discloses a cable protective member. The protective member is configuredby segments each of which is formed by injection-molding a syntheticresin into a flat one-piece structure. These segments are mutuallyconnected via bendable bridges so that the protective member isfoldable. Accordingly, it is no longer necessary to connect adjacentlink plates and thus the assembling works are dramatically facilitated.Also, the protective member of JP-A-2001-514725 reduces production ofdust, generation of noise due to bending, and vibration due to polygonalaction, which are the problems of the cable protective guide chaindisclosed in JP-A-H10-047441.

However, in the foldable cable protective member of JP-A-2001-514725,each segment is provided by injection-molding a synthetic resin into aone-piece flat structure. Therefore, the foldable cable protectivemember, when it is applied such as to a linear actuator machine having along movement stroke, is very often difficult to manufacture with thelength suitable for the long movement stroke. For example, there is aphysical limitation in the size of the die used for injection molding.Further, since a desired movement stroke is different between the users,providing a plurality of dies suitable for the individual desiredmovement strokes invites increase in the manufacturing cost.

SUMMARY

Thus it is desired to provide a protective guide for cables and/orducts, which eliminates such bothersome works as assembling link plates,reduces dust, bending noise and bending vibration, easily copes withmovement strokes of various lengths, and smoothly holds and guides thecables and/or ducts without causing a backlash not only in alinear-posture guiding portion but also in a bent-posture guidingportion.

As an exemplary embodiment, the protective guide has a long shape andinternally holds long members including at least one of a flexible cableand a flexible duct. The protective guide includes a flexible curvedstrip-shaped base and a plurality of flexible sectioning members. Thecurved strip-shaped base is made of a synthetic resin, formed into along plate and has a longitudinal direction. The sectioning members arealso made of a synthetic resin, permitted to uprise from both ends ofthe curved strip-shaped base and spaced apart from each other in thelongitudinal direction, the both ends being opposed to each other in adirection perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Thus, thesectioning members cooperatively define a space for accommodating thelong members along the curved strip-shaped base. The curved strip-shapedbase has a cross section inwardly curved toward the space, as viewed inthe longitudinal direction.

In the long protective guide having such a configuration, the cables(and/or ducts) are passed through the space defined by the curvedstrip-shaped base and the plurality of sectioning members. One end ofthe protective guide is connected to a fixed member of the machineinstalling the protective guide, while the other end is fixed to amovable member of the machine. The cables (and/or ducts) transmitelectrical power or control signals (and/or air, or the like) from theside of the fixed member to the side of the movable member. Theprotective guide moves following the movable member while forming a bentportion in a part of the protective guide in the longitudinal direction.With the movement of the movable member, the position of the bentportion changes in the longitudinal direction.

In the protective guide, while the bent portion changes its positionwith the movement of the movable member, a new portion of the protectiveguide in a linear posture changes into a bent posture, while a portionof the protective guide that has been in the bent posture returns to thelinear posture. When the protective guide turns into the bent posture,the curve in the curved strip-shaped base is flattened, while gaps(e.g., slits) in between the plurality of sectioning members that arepositioned in the bent portion each become wider, little by little, thanthe original width. Distortion (or strain) that would be caused when thelinear posture turns into the bent posture is absorbed by the flatteningof the strip-shaped base and the widening of the gaps in between theplurality of sectioning members. Thus, the space for accommodating thecables is reliably ensured in both of the linear- and bent-postureportions of the protective guide. In this way, the protective guide isable to smoothly guide the cables without causing a backlash not only inthe linear-posture guiding portion but also in the bent-posture guidingportion.

Further, since the long protective guide is made of a resinous materialand thus has flexibility, the assembling works, for example, of linkplates as in the conventional art is no longer necessary. Also, notusing link plates that are brought into contact with each other inguiding the cables can eliminate such problems as producing dust andcausing bending noise and bending vibration during the guiding. Inaddition, a protective guide of a desired length is obtained by onlycutting off the protective guide at a position in the longitudinaldirection in conformity with the stroke of the movable member of themachine in which the protective guide is installed. Thus, the protectiveguide is able to easily respond to the applications in which theprotective guide is required to have various lengths, thereby providinga good versatility.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a devicemounting a protective guide for cables, according to an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially omitted perspective view more specificallyillustrating the general shape of the cable protective guide accordingto the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view illustrating a linear-postureportion of the cable protective guide according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view illustrating a bent-posture portionof the cable protective guide according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating in general the cable protective guideincluding a bent portion, according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross sectioncorresponding to a linear posture, taken along a line A-A of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross sectioncorresponding to a bent posture, taken along a line B-B of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross sectioncorresponding to another linear posture, taken along a line C-C of FIG.5;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along a plane perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction of a cable protective guide as a modification ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view along a plane perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction of a cable protective guide as anothermodification of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 8, hereinafter is described an embodimentof a cable protective guide made of a synthetic resin, according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a linear movement device Mcalled a linear robot mounting a cable protective guide 100 according tothe present embodiment.

The linear movement device M incorporates a ball-screw driven actuator.Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the linear movement device M includesa fixed frame M1, a movable member M2, a setting frame M3 and anactuator M4. The fixed frame M1 is provided on a machine side. Themovable member M2 is a movable frame provided on the machine side. Thesetting frame M3 is connected to the fixed frame M1 and incorporates adrive motor MT. The actuator M4 is a ball-screw driven actuator forlinearly moving the movable member M2 with respect to the fixed frameM1. Upon rotation of the drive motor MT incorporated in the settingframe M3, the actuator M4 is driven. In response to the driving, themovable member M2 is linearly moved with respect to the fixed frame M1.

As shown in FIG. 1, an X-Y-Z coordinate system is set, in which thelongitudinal direction of the fixed frame M1 coincides with the Y-axisdirection. The movable member M2 is allowed to reciprocally move alongthe Y-axis direction (see the arrow L in FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 1, of the two side faces of the fixed frame M1, whichare opposed to each other in the X-axis direction, one is provided witha mounting plate M1A. Specifically, the mounting plate M1A having anL-shaped cross section as viewed in the longitudinal direction issecured to one of the side faces of the fixed frame M1, with a side faceof the mounting plate M1A being oriented upward in the Z-axis direction.Further, of the two side faces of the movable member M2, which areopposed to each other in the X-axis direction, one is provided with acantilever M2A. Specifically, the cantilever M2A having an upside-downL-shaped cross section as viewed in the X-axis direction is secured toone of the side faces of the movable member M2. Thus, the mounting plateM1A and the cantilever M2A are opposed to each other in the Z-axisdirection on a side face of the linear movement device M. Accordingly,when the movable member M2 moves in the Y-axis direction with respect tothe fixed frame M1, the cantilever M2A also moves in the Y-axisdirection with respect to the mounting plate M1A (see the arrow L inFIG. 1).

The movable member M2 includes electrical and mechanical elements, suchas elements that consume electrical power and electronically controlledelements, which are necessary for achieving the functions of theactuator M4. Accordingly, the actuator M4 is provided with long flexiblemembers, such as cables/ducts C including: a cable that has ends, onebeing connected to the fixed frame M1 and the other being connected tothe movable member M2 to supply electrical power from the side of thefixed frame M1 to the side of the movable member M2; a cable thattransmits signals between the fixed frame M1 and the movable member M2;and other necessary ducts. Hereinafter, the cables/ducts C are simplyreferred to as cables C. The cables C move in a spatial manner with themovement of the movable member M2. Therefore, the linear movement deviceM includes the cable protective guide 100 which protects the cables Cand guides the movement (behaviors) of the cables C within a desiredpath.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the cable protective guide 100 has along shape and has ends 100 a and 100 b. The cable protective guide 100has substantially a rectangular cross section perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction, with substantially a rectangular hollow, asviewed in the longitudinal direction, being formed inside. The hollowserves as a path through which the cables C are permitted to move.

The cable protective guide 100 is a monolithic member entirely made of asynthetic resin. Of the ends 100 a and 100 b, the end 100 a is fixedlyattached to a predetermined position of and near the end portion of themounting plate M1A of the fixed frame M1. On the other hand, the end 100b is fixedly attached to an end portion of the cantilever M2A of themovable member M2.

In this way, as shown in FIG. 1, the ends 100 a and 100 b of the cableprotective guide 100 are secured to the mounting plate M1A and thecantilever M2A, respectively. The portion of the cable protective guide100 other than the ends 100 a and 100 b corresponds to a trunk 100 c. Apart of the trunk 100 c is placed on the upper surface of the mountingplate M1A. Specifically, the long cable protective guide 100 is mountedon the linear movement device M being bent forming a U-shaped bentportion 100X (part of the trunk 100 c) along the Y-Z plane. Accordingly,when the movable member M2 is translated with respect to the fixed frameM1, the cable protective guide 100 is permitted to move, changing theposition of the U-shaped bent portion 100X on the mounting plate M1A(see the dash-dot-dot line IM in FIG. 1).

The cable protective guide 100 has a given rigidity. Therefore, beforebeing mounted on the linear movement device M, the cable protectiveguide 100 keeps its substantially linear shape in a state of being lefton its own. Thus, it is true that the cable protective guide 100 is ableto keep its substantially linear shape without being placed on themounting plate M1A but, for the sake of protection from other machinesor members in the factory, the cable protective guide 100 is placed onthe mounting plate M1A.

The cables C are passed through the cable protective guide 100 from theside of the fixed frame M1 for connection to the movable member M2.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 8, hereinafter are specifically described theconfiguration and advantages of the cable protective guide 100.

In a state where the cable protective guide 100 is mounted on the linearmovement device M, the position of the U-shaped bent portion 100X isensured to be shifted in the Y-axis direction along the Y-Z plane withthe movement of the movable member M2. In order to enable this movement,the cable protective guide 100 is configured as set forth below. Thecable protective guide 100 is configured as a long member having adesired length. The cable protective guide 100 has a cross sectionperpendicular to its longitudinal direction (the cross section along theX-Z plane in a state of being mounted on the linear movement device M).The cross section has substantially a rectangular shape with its longsides being defined by opposed upper and lower curved faces.

It is preferred that the cable protective guide 100 is a flexiblemonolithic member made of a synthetic resin and that its internal spacehaving substantially a rectangular cross section functions as anaccommodation space R for accommodating the cables C. In order to formthe space R, the cable protective guide 100 is composed of a curvedstrip-shaped base 110 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a base110) extending in the longitudinal direction of the cables C and aplurality of integrally connected substantially U-shaped wall portions(functioning as sectioning members) 120. Each U-shaped wall portion 120is composed of side walls 121 uprising from both sides of the base 110and a curved ceiling 122 connecting the side edges of the side walls121.

As will be understood from FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the relationship betweenthe base 110 and each ceiling 122 in the Z-axis direction is reversed,in the longitudinal direction of the cable protective guide 100, beforeand after passing the U-shaped bent portion 100X.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the cable protective guide 100 is in alinear state, the plurality of wall portions (sectioning members) 120are arranged at a fixed pitch P1 along the longitudinal direction of thebase 110, being spaced apart from each other by a fixed spacing L1corresponding to a slit S. The slits S are formed in a cutting processin the course of manufacturing the cable protective guide 100. The pitchP1 and the spacing L1 may be changed as appropriate depending on theposition of the cable protective guide 100 in the longitudinaldirection. However, in the present embodiment, the pitch P1 and thespacing L1 are fixedly set wherever the cable protective guide 100 maybe positioned in the longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the base 110 and the plurality of wall portions 120form the space R which is ensured to pass through the U-shaped bentportion 100X as well.

The curved strip-shaped base 110 includes a curved portion 110A which iscurved, projecting from the base 110, toward the opposite face 122(ceiling 122). Similarly, the ceiling 122 includes a curved portion 122Awhich is curved in a direction distancing from the base 110. The degreeof curving of the curved portions 110A and 122A is ensured to be thesame in the present embodiment. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 6, thespace R does not have a strict rectangular shape as viewed in a crosssection along the X-Z plane. Instead, in the cross section of the spaceR, the walls, i.e. the base 110 and the ceiling 122, which are opposedto each other in the Z-axis direction, are curved in the same directionwhile being substantially parallel to each other. It should beappreciated that the degree of curving of the curved portions 110A and122A may be different from each other depending on the conditions underwhich the cable protective guide 100 is used.

The curved portions 110A and 122A may be provided throughout the base110 and the ceiling 122, respectively, along the X-axis direction, ormay be partially provided such as at the respective centers of the base110 and the ceiling 122 in the X-axis direction.

The size of the cross section of the internal space R depends on thesize of the base 110 and the ceiling 122 and the size of the side walls121. Conversely, the size of the cross section may be set according tothe number, the size, the type, and the like, of the cables C desired tobe passed through the cable protective guide. The degree of curving(e.g. expressed by the position of a center of curvature and a curvatureradius) of the curved portions 110A and 122A of the base 110 and theceiling 122, respectively, is determined to be the same in the presentembodiment, so that the space R will have a sufficiently large size.

The material used for manufacturing the cable protective guide 100 mayonly have to be a synthetic resin which is able to hold long flexiblemembers, such as cables/ducts, and is excellent in mechanical strengthand molding accuracy. For example, the materials that may be usedinclude polyolefin-based resins, such as polyethylene or polypropylene,polyamide-based resins, polyester-based resins, polyacryl-based resins,polyacetal-based resins, polyvinyl chloride-based resins andpolystyrene-based resins.

In manufacturing the cable protective guide 100, a resinous material asmentioned above is processed, first, using an extruding machine or adrawing machine. Through the extruding or drawing process, a monolithictubular member is prepared in which the curved strip-shaped base 110 isintegrated with the plurality of wall portions 120 in series. In thiscase, the die used in the processing machine is formed so that the diecan form the base 110 and the ceilings 122 together with the curvedportions 110A and 122A, respectively.

The tubular member prepared in this way is processed using a slicer sothat, as shown in FIG. 3, the slits S are formed at the predeterminedpitch P1 with the predetermined spacing L1 being formed in each pitchP1. Each of the slits S is formed throughout the height of each wallportion 120 and has a depth, or a dead end, reaching the base 110. Asshown in FIG. 5, the dead end of each slit S has a rounded portion R(see reference R).

In the cable protective guide 100 configured in this way, when themovable member M2 linearly moves in the Y-axis direction with respect tothe fixed frame M1, the end 100 b also moves in the Y-axis direction.With this movement, the position of the bent portion 100X of the cableprotective guide 100 changes in the Y-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the cable protective guide 100, itslinear-posture portion has a substantially rectangular cross sectionalong the X-Z plane, with both of its long sides being curved. However,as the bent portion 100X moves and approaches the linear-postureportion, several slits S in the vicinity of the bent portion 100X beginto open wider than the spacing L1 maintained up to then. Then, uponarrival of the bent portion 100X, the slits S open as wide as apredetermined spacing L2 (>L1). Thus, as the slits S are widened, thedistortion (or strain) caused by the bending of the bent portion 100X isabsorbed by the elastic deformation. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 4and 7, the cross section of the bent portion 100X perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction, i.e. the cross section along the X-Z plane, isflattened to show a more rectangular shape.

In other words, as indicated by the solid line in FIG. 7, the base 110and the ceiling 122 (curved portions 110A and 122A) are flattened,compared to the cross section in the linear-posture portion as shown inFIG. 6. In this way, as the slits S are widened and as the upper andlower curved portions 110A and 122A are flattened, the components of thecable protective guide 100 are able to disperse their distortion (orstrain) caused by the bending. At the same time, the cable protectiveguide 100 is able to smoothly turn its posture from linear to bent.Since such a smooth bending is enabled in the cable protective guide100, the cables C accommodated in the internal space R are guided inharmonization with the movement of the space R (path), while beingprotected by the cable protective guide 100. Thus, the movable member M2as well is able to move in a smooth manner.

By the way, in FIG. 5, a dashed line Lx (which should be drawn partly bytwo-dot chain lines in FIG. 5) shows how the top position TP of thecurved portion 110A (refer to FIG. 7) changes in its Z-axial height asadvancing from the linear posture to the curved posture along thelongitudinal positions of the cable protective guide 100.

The cable protective guide 100 exerts various advantages.

First of all, the cable protective guide 100 can eliminate the necessityof preparing a cable protective guide on the worksite by assemblingmembers as in the conventional art. In the cable protective guide 100according to the present embodiment, the curved strip-shaped base 110and the plurality of wall portions 120 are formed as a monolithicmember. Therefore, the assembling workload as mentioned above iseliminated and thus the working efficiency is enhanced accordingly.

The slits S are formed at the even pitch P1 throughout the cableprotective guide 100 in its longitudinal direction. Thus, the cableprotective guide 100 may be cut off at any slit S so as to match thelength of the accommodated cables C. In other words, the cableprotective guide 100 only has to be cut off according to theapplication. Thus, there is no necessity of preparing various types ofcable protective guides in advance. Accordingly, only a simple workloadon the worksite can provide the cable protective guide 100 of a desiredlength. In this way, the cable protective guide 100 having goodgeneral-purpose properties can be provided.

Further, since the cable protective guide 100 is formed using extrudingor drawing, the curved strip-shaped base 110 has a high degree ofmolecular orientation in the longitudinal direction. In this way, thecable protective guide 100 has high fatigue strength in the longitudinaldirection and thus has an excellent durability as well accordingly.

Moreover, in performing extruding or drawing, the thickness and size canbe changed in the base 110 and/or the wall portions 120 of the cableprotective guide 100. In addition, the material for forming the cableprotective guide 100 can be selected as appropriate. In this way, inguiding the cables C with the protection thereof, an optimum mode of apath, i.e. the space R, is obtained in conformity with the type and thenumber of the cables C desired to be accommodated.

Further, use of a synthetic resin material in manufacturing the cableprotective guide 100 enables continuous processing using extruding ordrawing, while ensuring a steady mode in the space R for accommodatingthe cables C.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the base 110 has the curved portion110A as far as the cable protective guide 100 maintains its linearposture. Accordingly, a space SP having a slightly sharp-angled crosssection is formed between an uprising portion at each end of the curvedportion 110A and each side wall 121. Therefore, at least a part of thecables C is accommodated in each of the narrow spaces SP. Thesharp-angled spaces SP have high rigidity owing to the shape, wallthickness, and the like. The high rigidity serves as a support for thecables C in the longitudinal direction. Thus, in guiding the cables C inthe linear-posture portion of the cable protective guide 100, the linearposture of the cables C is reliably maintained.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the shape and size of thecurved strip-shaped base 110 and the wall portions 120 are set so thatthe space R is sufficiently ensured for the accommodation of the cablesC. This acts synergistically with the structure unique to the presentembodiment. Specifically, the cable protective guide 100 (i.e. thecables C) constantly has, in the space R: a portion in which the cablesC keep a linear posture; a portion in which the posture of the cables Cturns from linear to bent; a portion in which the cables C keep a bentposture; a portion in which the posture of the cables C turns from bentto linear again; and a portion in which the posture of the cables Creturns to linear again. In the present embodiment, the portionsinvolving the bent posture exert an effect of allowing the slits S toabsorb the distortion (or strain) caused by the bending and an effect offlattening the curved portions 110A and 122A.

As described above, the cable protective guide 100 has, in the space R,a portion in which the cables C keep a linear posture or a portion inwhich the cables C keep a bent posture. Between these portions, there isnot so much a significant change in the shape and size of the space R,except the change that the curved portions are flattened. Thus, thepresent embodiment provides an appropriate model which is able to acceptboth of the linear and bent postures of the cable protective guide 100,with the space (path) R being fully ensured inside. Accordingly, thespace R in the model is able to suppress a backlash accompanying themovement of the cables C.

Specifically, as described above, the position of the U-shaped bentportion 100X changes with the movement of the movable member M2. Thus,wherever the bent portion 100X may be positioned, the cable protectiveguide 100 is able to constantly enclose the cables C and guide themovement of the bent portions of the cables C.

Further, when a plurality of cables C are accommodated in the space R,the curved portions 110A and 122A in the linear-posture portion of thecable protective guide 100 can exert their function of fixing theaccommodation positions of the plurality of cables in the space R.Specifically, the inclinations of the curved portions 110A and 122Aexert a function of preventing the plurality of cables C accommodated inthe space R from moving spontaneously in the direction along the X-Zplane (movement of crossing the cables C). More specifically, during theoperation of the linear movement device M, the positions of the cables Calong the X-Z plane remain as they are initially accommodated in thespace R. For this reason, the plurality of cables C are suppressed frominterfering with each other or suffering from contact friction. Thus,the cable protective guide of a smooth and stable movement is realized.

Further, the plurality of wall portions 120 having an identical shapeare arranged at an even pitch along the longitudinal direction of thecurved strip-shaped base 110. This configuration allows the cableprotective guide 100 to more effectively exert its function of wideningthe width of the slits S and flattening the curved portions 110A and122A. As a result, with the movement of the movable member M2, theposition of the U-shaped bent portion 100X is shifted in the Y-axisdirection, while the U shape of the sole bent portion 100X is reliablymaintained. Thus, the cables C are protected and guided in a stablemanner.

Furthermore, the plurality of wall portions 120 are spaced apart fromeach other by the slits S. The base portion, i.e. the dead end, of eachof the plurality of slits S reaches the curved strip-shaped base 110.This configuration much more enhances the effect of absorbing distortion(or strain) caused by the bending in the bent portion 100X. Thus, thebent portion 100X may have only a smaller curvature radius. For thisreason, the space occupied by the cable protective guide 100 is madesmaller.

In addition, since the dead end of each slit S has the rounded portionR, the distortion (or strain) applied to the base portion (dead end) ofeach slit S is effectively and evenly dispersed in the periphery. Thus,the durability of the cable protective guide 100 is enhanced.

The cable protective guide 100 of the present embodiment is configuredand functions as described so far. Accordingly, advantageous effectsdifferent from those of the guide structures of conventional art areobtained as set forth below.

The assembling work for providing the conventional link-plate structureis no longer necessary. The cable protective guide 100 is able toprevent production of dust that would have been produced in theconventional structure when a pin between the link plates slides in apin hole causing a frictional damage. Further, the cable protectiveguide 100 is able to prevent occurrence of intermittent bending noisethat would have occurred in the conventional structure due to thecollision between stopper members that limit the bending angle betweenthe link plates when they are bent. In addition, the cable protectiveguide 100 is able to prevent occurrence of intermittent bendingvibration that would have occurred in the conventional structureaccompanying the polygonal action between the link plates.

The cable protective guide 100 of the present embodiment is advantageousas well when compared to a foldable cable protective structural memberhaving a bridge structure of conventional art in which segments areconnected to each other via bridges. Specifically, whatever length thespace R may be required to have, the cable protective guide 100 ismanufactured as a monolithic component using integral and continuousmolding. Accordingly, the work of assembling segments, for example, isno longer necessary. For example, a cable protective structural member,when it is used in a linear actuator machine, is required to have alarge length so as to follow the stroke of the actuator shaft. Such along cable protective structural member can also be manufacturedaccording to the present embodiment.

The long flexible cable protective guide of the present invention isused as a cable protective guide for accommodating cables (and/or ducts)that connect between a fixed member and a movable member of a machineinstalling the cable protective guide. The cable protective guideparticularly exerts its advantages when used being bent in itslongitudinal direction. As far as the cable protective guide is used inthis way, there is no particular limitation in the machines in which thecable protective guide is installed. For example, the cable protectiveguide can be installed such as in working machines, production machines,power transmission machines, measuring machines, conveying machines androbots.

The cable protective guide of the present invention is not necessarilylimited to the one having the structure as described above. For example,the cable protective guide may have the cross-sectional structure asshown in FIG. 9 or 10. In a cable protective guide 100A shown in FIG. 9,the base 110 and the ceiling 122 are provided on their both sides withsmall non-curved or flat portions 1108 and 122B, respectively, in theX-axis direction. In a cable protective guide 100B shown in FIG. 10,only the base 110 has a curved portion 110A, while the ceiling 122 isprovided as a flat wall. When the cable protective guide 100A or 100B isin a bent posture, the cross section as viewed in the longitudinaldirection may be slightly distorted (or strained). However, the slits Sspacing apart the plurality of wall portions 120 from each other and thecurved portion 110A of the base 110 effectively exert their functions tothereby reliably guide the cables C in both of linear and bent postures.

The present invention may be embodied in several other forms withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof. The embodiments and modificationsdescribed so far are therefore intended to be only illustrative and notrestrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appendedclaims rather than by the description preceding them. All changes thatfall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of suchmetes and bounds, are therefore intended to be embraced by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A flexible protective guide internally holdingelongated members that include at least one of a flexible cable and aflexible duct, the protective guide comprising: a flexible strip-shapedbase made of a synthetic resin and formed into an elongated plate shapehaving a longitudinal direction along which the guide is allowed tomove; and a plurality of flexible sectioning members made of thesynthetic resin and integrally formed with the flexible strip-shapedbase, the flexible sectioning members being provided with side walls andceilings which cooperatively define a space together with thestrip-shaped base, the side walls of each of the flexible sectioningmembers rising respectively from both lateral side ends of thesnip-shaped base, the lateral side ends being located in the lateraldirection perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the ceiling ofeach of the flexible sectioning members bridging the side walls of eachof the flexible sectioning members such that the ceiling is opposed tothe strip-shaped base with the space left between the ceiling and thestrip-shaped base, the side walls and the ceilings of the flexiblesectioning members being separated from one another by slits in thelongitudinal direction, the elongated members being accommodated in thespace, wherein: the strip-shaped base is formed to have a cross sectionperpendicularly crossing the longitudinal direction, the strip-shapedbase being (1) curved to project toward the space in the cross sectionwhen the guide moves along a linear path in the longitudinal directionand (2) deformed to be flattened when the guide moves along a curvedpath in the longitudinal direction.
 2. The protective guide according toclaim 1, wherein the cross section of the strip-shaped base has acontour bilaterally symmetrically curved from both of the lateral sideends of the strip-shaped base when the guide moves along the linearpath.
 3. The protective guide according to claim 2, wherein the ceilingis curved in the same direction as the curve of the strip-shaped basesuch that, when being viewed in the longitudinal direction, the spaceprovides a curved rectangular shape when the guide moves along thelinear path and the space provides an approximately rectangular shapewhen the guide moves along the curved path.
 4. The protective guideaccording to claim 3, wherein the base, and the side walls and theceiling forming each of the plurality of sectioning members areintegrally formed with each other and made of the same resinousmaterial.
 5. The protective guide according to claim 4, wherein theplurality of sectioning members are formed from a monolithic tubularmember in which the strip-shaped base and the space are formed.
 6. Theprotective guide according to claim 5, wherein the slits are provided ateven intervals in the longitudinal direction to uniform the length ofthe plurality of sectioning members in the longitudinal direction. 7.The protective guide according to claim 6, wherein each of the pluralityof slits have, dead ends respectively reaching the strip-shaped base inthe lateral direction, the dead ends being rounded toward thestrip-shaped base.
 8. The protective guide according to claim 5, whereineach of the plurality of slits have dead ends respectively reaching thestrip-shaped base in the lateral direction, the dead ends being roundedtoward the curved strip-shaped base.
 9. The protective guide accordingto claim 1, wherein the ceiling is curved in the same direction as thecurve of the strip-shaped base such that, when being viewed in thelongitudinal direction, the space provides a curved rectangular shapewhen the guide moves along the linear path and the space provides anapproximately rectangular shape when the guide moves along the curvedpath.
 10. The protective guide according to claim 9, wherein thestrip-shaped base, and the side walls and the ceiling forming each ofthe plurality of sectioning members are integrally formed with eachother and made of the same resinous material.
 11. The protective guideaccording to claim 10, wherein the plurality of sectioning members areformed from a monolithic tubular member in which the strip-shaped baseand the space are formed.
 12. The protective guide according to claim11, wherein the slits are provided at even intervals in the longitudinaldirection to uniform the length of the plurality of sectioning membersin the longitudinal direction.
 13. The protective guide according toclaim 12, wherein each of the plurality of slits have dead endsrespectively reaching the strip-shaped base in the lateral direction,the dead ends being rounded toward the strip-shaped base.
 14. Theprotective guide according to claim 1, wherein the plurality ofsectioning members are formed from a monolithic tubular member in whichthe strip-shaped base and the space are formed.
 15. The protective guideaccording to claim 14, wherein the slits are provided at even intervalsin the longitudinal direction to uniform the length of the plurality ofsectioning members in the longitudinal direction.
 16. The protectiveguide according to claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of slits havedead ends respectively reaching the strip-shaped base in the lateraldirection, the dead ends being rounded toward the curved strip-shapedbase.